Myers Briggs Personality Types

by Steve Myers (no relation to Isabel Briggs Myers)

You are a unique individual. You also share some characteristics with other people. The Myers Briggs model of personality tells you about some of those similarities and differences. It can help you deepen your self-awareness, find a career your will enjoy, become a better leader/manager or improve your relationships. You can learn more by completing the MMDI™ personality test, our free alternative to the Myers Briggs Type Indicator® instrument.

You combine the preferences to give your Myers Briggs personality type. Eg: having preferences for E and S and T and J gives a personality type of ESTJ. There are sixteen Myers Briggs personality types.

A frequently used analogy is handedness - where you have a preference for one hand but use them both. Similarly, you have all eight facets in your Myers Briggs personality profile. Whilst your personality type indicates that you have a preference for some of them, you nevertheless use all of them.

The four preferences in more detail

Where, primarily, do you prefer to direct your energy?

If you prefer to direct your energy to deal with people, things, situations, or "the outer world", then your preference is for Extraversion. This is denoted by the letter "E".

If you prefer to direct your energy to deal with ideas, information, explanations or beliefs, or "the inner world", then your preference is for Introversion. This is denoted by the letter
"I".

How do you prefer to process information?

If you prefer to deal with facts, what you know, to have clarity, or to describe what you see, then your preference is for Sensing. This is denoted by the letter "S".

If you prefer to deal with ideas, look into the unknown, to generate new possibilities or to anticipate what isn't obvious, then your preference is for Intuition. This is denoted by the
letter "N" (the letter I has already been used for Introversion).

How do you prefer to make decisions?

If you prefer to decide on the basis of objective logic, using an analytic and detached approach, then your preference is for Thinking. This is denoted by the letter "T".

If you prefer to decide using values and/or personal beliefs, on the basis of what you believe is important or what you or others care about, then your preference is for Feeling. This is
denoted by the letter "F".

How do you prefer to organise your life?

If you prefer your life to be planned, stable and organised then your preference is for Judging (not to be confused with 'Judgmental', which is quite different). This is denoted
by the letter "J".

If you prefer to go with the flow, to maintain flexibility and respond to things as they arise, then your preference is for Perception. This is denoted by the letter "P".

16 Types

When you put these four letters together, you get your personality type code, and there are sixteen combinations. For example, INTJ indicates that
you prefer Introversion, iNtuition, Thinking and Judging (remember, this indicates preferences only - an INTJ also uses Extraversion, Sensing, Feeling and Perception).

You can find out your personality type using our personality test. This not only helps you to to identify which of the 16 personality type codes is nearest your personality, but also produces an individual profile that helps you to identify the unique aspects of your personality.

This unique profile can be used in a number of ways, such as finding an appropriate career or identifying your natural leadership style.